So You Wanna Be A Lyric Writer
Song Lyrics
Training
Provided by Online Training Directory
Learn from an expert how to compose lyrics and submit them for publication and performance.
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So You Wanna Be A Lyric Writer
So You Wanna Be A Lyric Writer
Full Description
Outcomes:
Assessment:
Week 1
Who''s writing what these days, and how does it all fit into one music store?
The student will learn the different genres of modern popular music with examples of songs and artists from each group, and analyze the guidelines for lyric writing in each genre.
Week 2
How is a lyric constructed? Is it only a matter of formatting a verse, chorus, and bridge? Or is it something more?
The instructor will introduce the elements of lyric construction -- the verse, the chorus, and the bridge.
Week 3
How is a verse written?
The student will learn the different forms of verse construction, including rhythm and rhyme.
Week 4
How is the chorus constructed?
The student will learn the various types of lyrical chorus, and how to decide which one to use.
Week 5
What is the bridge, and how are the best ones written? And now that I have the lyrics written, what do I do next?
The student will learn the purpose of the bridge and how to write a good one.
And to finish the course, the student will learn the basics of query letter writing in order to submit their lyrics to an agent, record company, or musical artist for consideration.
SAMPLE LESSON WEEK 1
Did you ever wonder how the record companies catagorize their musical genres? Is it by ballad, two-step, rock anthem, or songs you hear on the radio?
Not at all.
It’s by demographics. That’s the magic word in music publishing. Demographic is a marketing term that simply means people, where they live and what they will buy.
For your first assignment, I’d like you to make a list of all the categories in a record store. You might have to take a trip to your local mall. I bet you’ll find:
Rock
Pop
Easy Listening
Country
Jazz
Hip Hop
Rap
R&B
Classical
Sound Tracks
Instrumental
Various Artists (Just seeing if you’re paying attention.)
Next, choose a category, also called musical genre, that interests you, one you feel you could write a poem about. Lyrics are poems, and some of the greatest poets of the Twentieth Century were or are song writers, like Bono, Cole Porter, Bryan Adams, and the Dixie Chicks, for example.
Then. select three artists in that category. You may have their recordings at home, since they are probably your favorites. Now, take three songs from each of them and write down the titles.
What do you notice?
Each category has it’s own way of doing things. A Country title could never be a Rock Ballad.
They could not be interchangeable, not in content, not in targeted audience, and not in form. Both are great genres. Both were carefully thought out from the beginning.
Same thing holds true for lyrics.
You need to be specific. What works in rock will not draw an audience in rap.
I’d like you to start writing a lyric immediately. This is a course encouraging you from the beginning!
I like Country, so I’m going to use my own title and lyric for an example of what I’d like you to do for this first week:
My title is:
“He Bought Me A Beer In Exchange For My Heart.”
(c) Carol Givner 2002
My musical genre is:
Country
My Sub-genre is:
Ballad
Note: Sub-genre further breaks down the category into ballad, anthem, instrumental, dance, protest, slow rock, fast rock, comedy, topical, and whatever else you might creatively devise.
Always keep in mind the marketing factor if selling your song is important. In a future lesson, when I help you write the proposal letter to a publisher or artist, you will need to mention the genre and sub-genre.
My song is about (topic):
Love and Cheating
My story in the song is:
A handsome cowboy buys a widow a drink in a pick-up bar. She falls in love with him, but he goes home with somebody else. She is sadder but wiser.
A lyric is a story!
Now, here is the most important part. What line would you like to go down in history as memorable?
My memorable line is:
“I lost two men, one had my soul and one played with my heart.”
Now, it’s your turn.
1. Investigate the categories.
2. Select your favorite.
3. Decide the setting, mood, characters, plot, and tone of your lyrical story. I can help you with that if you like! They are basically the same, but some are set in New Jersey with Bon Jovi, some are set in Philadelphia with Springsteen, some are set in the heartland with Elvis. Some are about blue collar workers, some are about rodeo cowboys, some are about women losing men. But they all have one thing in common.
They all touch our hearts and make us sing, either joyfully or sadly.
4. Decide on a title, and add your name as the lyric writer.
5. Write one line, the memorable line that will be the focal point of your song. It should be the line you’ll come back to again and again in the chorus.
More about the chorus next week!
When you have completed the assignment, please feel free to send it to me if you would like for my comments. I know I’ll like it, because you wrote it with your heart! And if you feel even more creative, write as many as you like, and send them! Writing music has no limits!
Happy Lyric Writing!
Best,
Carol
| This course is primarily designed for the beginner with no musical training. The product of this course is comprised of two sets of lyrics for two original songs, and a query letter. Music is part of all of our lives. Studies tell us that people who listen to music, sing, play a musical instrument, or write music and lyrics themselves score higher on tests, get better jobs, and smile more than their less musically inclined neighbors. To be a true lyric writer, you will need three things -- your imagination, your creativity, and a little bit of your ego. This course will teach you to trust your inner muse, compose your lyrics, and sell or publish your work. |
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Students will learn to compose: 1) The lyrics for two songs 2) A query letter to mail to a print or electronic publisher, record company, or musical artist. Having mastered these accomplishments, the student will have the framework to continue to write lyrics for their own enjoyment. |
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Students demonstrate knowledge by developing skills in lyric writing and music industry savvy and starting a portfolio of their work by: 1) Composing the lyrics for two songs. 2) Writing a query letter to accompany the lyrics to agents, record companies, and musical artists. |
The student will learn the different genres of modern popular music with examples of songs and artists from each group, and analyze the guidelines for lyric writing in each genre.
The instructor will introduce the elements of lyric construction -- the verse, the chorus, and the bridge.
The student will learn the different forms of verse construction, including rhythm and rhyme.
The student will learn the various types of lyrical chorus, and how to decide which one to use.
The student will learn the purpose of the bridge and how to write a good one.
And to finish the course, the student will learn the basics of query letter writing in order to submit their lyrics to an agent, record company, or musical artist for consideration.
SAMPLE LESSON WEEK 1
Did you ever wonder how the record companies catagorize their musical genres? Is it by ballad, two-step, rock anthem, or songs you hear on the radio?
Not at all.
It’s by demographics. That’s the magic word in music publishing. Demographic is a marketing term that simply means people, where they live and what they will buy.
For your first assignment, I’d like you to make a list of all the categories in a record store. You might have to take a trip to your local mall. I bet you’ll find:
Rock
Pop
Easy Listening
Country
Jazz
Hip Hop
Rap
R&B
Classical
Sound Tracks
Instrumental
Various Artists (Just seeing if you’re paying attention.)
Next, choose a category, also called musical genre, that interests you, one you feel you could write a poem about. Lyrics are poems, and some of the greatest poets of the Twentieth Century were or are song writers, like Bono, Cole Porter, Bryan Adams, and the Dixie Chicks, for example.
Then. select three artists in that category. You may have their recordings at home, since they are probably your favorites. Now, take three songs from each of them and write down the titles.
What do you notice?
Each category has it’s own way of doing things. A Country title could never be a Rock Ballad.
They could not be interchangeable, not in content, not in targeted audience, and not in form. Both are great genres. Both were carefully thought out from the beginning.
Same thing holds true for lyrics.
You need to be specific. What works in rock will not draw an audience in rap.
I’d like you to start writing a lyric immediately. This is a course encouraging you from the beginning!
I like Country, so I’m going to use my own title and lyric for an example of what I’d like you to do for this first week:
My title is:
“He Bought Me A Beer In Exchange For My Heart.”
(c) Carol Givner 2002
My musical genre is:
Country
My Sub-genre is:
Ballad
Note: Sub-genre further breaks down the category into ballad, anthem, instrumental, dance, protest, slow rock, fast rock, comedy, topical, and whatever else you might creatively devise.
Always keep in mind the marketing factor if selling your song is important. In a future lesson, when I help you write the proposal letter to a publisher or artist, you will need to mention the genre and sub-genre.
My song is about (topic):
Love and Cheating
My story in the song is:
A handsome cowboy buys a widow a drink in a pick-up bar. She falls in love with him, but he goes home with somebody else. She is sadder but wiser.
A lyric is a story!
Now, here is the most important part. What line would you like to go down in history as memorable?
My memorable line is:
“I lost two men, one had my soul and one played with my heart.”
Now, it’s your turn.
1. Investigate the categories.
2. Select your favorite.
3. Decide the setting, mood, characters, plot, and tone of your lyrical story. I can help you with that if you like! They are basically the same, but some are set in New Jersey with Bon Jovi, some are set in Philadelphia with Springsteen, some are set in the heartland with Elvis. Some are about blue collar workers, some are about rodeo cowboys, some are about women losing men. But they all have one thing in common.
They all touch our hearts and make us sing, either joyfully or sadly.
4. Decide on a title, and add your name as the lyric writer.
5. Write one line, the memorable line that will be the focal point of your song. It should be the line you’ll come back to again and again in the chorus.
More about the chorus next week!
When you have completed the assignment, please feel free to send it to me if you would like for my comments. I know I’ll like it, because you wrote it with your heart! And if you feel even more creative, write as many as you like, and send them! Writing music has no limits!
Happy Lyric Writing!
Best,
Carol
Contact Hours: 24
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